Facilitators

The Association of Narrative Practice in Healthcare offers accreditation to facilitators who have completed a recognised training in narrative practice, supervision and teaching, using the model of interactional skills "Conversations Inviting Change"

Here are profiles of some of our accredited facilitators :

Lucy Andrews

Lucy Andrews is a GP and GP trainer in Putney. She has been a GP since 1996 and throughout her career has had an interest in systemic family therapy and the psychotherapeutic aspects of patient care, alongside adolescent and paediatric mental health. Her working week is currently a balance between clinical practice, Conversations Inviting Change activity and she has recently applied to refresh her role as an external appraiser for GPs in Wandsworth.

Lucy believes that her systemic therapy and supervisions skills experience are at the core of all her work. She has 3 sons who keep her on her toes, and enjoys music, theatre, yoga, running, and walking the dog.

Sue Dickie

Sue has been a GP at Highgate Group Practice in North London since 1996. She is a GP trainer, an appraiser and UKCP registered systemic and family psychotherapist. Sue has a particular interest in the psychological aspects of medical practice and runs a Family Therapy clinic in her own practice. She is a Conversations Inviting Change facilitator and enjoys teaching supervision and communication skills.

Sue is a strong believer in the power of stories to understand and build meaning in our lives, and uses narrative practice in every aspect of her work.

Sarah Divall

Sarah works part time as a GP and spends the other half of her week in medical education. She is Associate Dean for GP Vocational Training for Inner South London and does ad hoc work for Professional Development Department of Health Education London . teaching supervision skills,reflective practice and communication skills for the GP exam ( CSA)

Sarah has a wide range of experience in medical education. She is an accredited facilitator for Conversations Inviting Change , a technique that is used with patients, in supervision and team consultancy. Sarah has an ILM 7 certificate in executive coaching.

Sue Elliott

Sue has been a GP Principal and Trainer in Hertfordshire for many years. She is particularly interested in good communication skills in the context of adult education. She believes that the conversations that we have in every area of our personal and professional lives contribute to the creation of the meanings and values we live by. She also believes that narrative skills are a vital part of reflective practice. Sue is also an Appraiser for Hertfordshire PCT and teaches Supervision Skills in primary and secondary care.

Emma Griffin

Emma has worked for the past 13 years as a GP in Battersea, London. She is experienced as a GP principal, GP trainer, under graduate GP tutor and a GP appraiser. She has a Postgraduate Certificate in Teachers in Primary Care and an intercalated BSc in Psychology. She is currently working as a freelance GP. She is an accredited facilitator for Conversations Inviting Change, a model used for consultations in healthcare and individual and group supervision, which she has found highly effective in her own work.

Emma's other interests include working with her local church in community development, growing vegetables on her allotment, and travelling with her family.

Helen Halpern

Helen was a GP Principal and Trainer in North London for many years until, in 2009, she decided to focus on medical education. She also has a Master's degree in Systemic Family Therapy and an ILM level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Leadership Mentoring. She is involved in teaching and writing about narrative-based supervision skills for healthcare professionals.

Helen is particularly interested in the concept of change and the factors that influence this. She is experienced in working with a range of healthcare professionals in both primary and secondary care to encourage supervision that supports clinical performance and development. Helen’s other interests are music, literature, cycling and travel. She is married and has three adult children and a grand-daughter.

Ali Hassas

Victoria Holt

Victoria was a GP Principal in North London for many years. She is now the Medical Director of City and Hackney Urgent Healthcare Social Enterprise, GP lead of the Primary Urgent Care Centre in Homerton University Hospital Emergency Department and a GP Appraiser for City and Hackney. She is a teacher of Supervision Skills in primary and secondary care and also supervises GP Registrars doing their ‘out of hours’ training. She has a particular interest in embedding a culture of skilled supervision in healthcare teams and departments. Victoria was assistant course tutor on the professional certificate in Supervision Skills at the Tavistock Clinic 2010-11.

When not practising medicine or teaching, Victoria loves to run, swim and cycle, grow vegetables on her shared allotment, and cook

Wasima Hussain

Wasima is an established GP Principal in south London. She is a GP trainer. a tutor for students from the Graduate Entry Programme at St George’s Hospital Medical School and a GP Appraiser. Wasima’s interest in clinical supervision stemmed from her involvement with teaching, appraising and personal development. Whilst training for a teaching certificate she had an opportunity to study systemic, education and narrative theory.

Wasima has found the supervision skills have been invaluable in all her professional roles: supervising doctors, nurses, students and colleagues, and during difficult consultations. Contact Wasima at

John Launer is a doctor, family therapist, educator and writer. He is an honorary lifetime consultant at the Tavistock Clinic, honorary senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, and associate dean at Health Education England.

John was the originator, with Caroline Lindsey, of 'Conversations inviting change' (CIC), a model for training in healthcare consultations, individual and group supervision, as well as team facilitation and conflict resolution. John has given presentations and workshops on 'CIC' in every region of the UK and in Europe, Israel, Japan, the United States, Canada and Australia.

ou can contact John at johnlauner@aol.com

Lisa Miller

Lisa works an educator in postgraduate medical education ( as Associate Director on HENWL, as a course tutor on the Postgraduate Certificate in Education for Primary Care and as a course tutor on training to teach Conversations inviting change), as a GP appraiser and as a GP. Lisa enjoys working with groups and with individuals to develop communication and supervision skills and to provide support at times of challenge and change. Lisa has an ILM 7 certificate in executive coaching.

Lisa has a particular interest in improvisation as a means of professional development. Lisa can be contacted at lisamiller84@btinternet.com

Serena North

Serena is a retired inner city GP Principal, Trainer and Appraiser. She is a teacher of Supervision Skills for both primary and secondary healthcare professionals and also teaches communications skills to doctors at all levels of professional development. Serena works with teams and with individuals to develop their communication and teaching skills and to provide support at times of challenge and change. She is currently the Course Tutor for Training to Teach ‘Conversations inviting Change’.

When Serena is not involved with communication skills she enjoys solitary Nordic Walking on the South Downs and writing poetry.

Serena is one of the original directors at Calgrove Consulting and can be contacted via their website.

Jo Sudell

Jo has been a GP in Hackney for 18 yrs and is a City and Hackney GP appraiser and an undergraduate GP tutor. She teaches supervision skills through Conversations Inviting Change in primary and secondary care and participates in regular peer supervision with GP colleagues. She has found this narrative approach to be immensely helpful in developing reflective practice and managing difficult consultations.

When possible Jo loves escaping to her allotment or heading to green spaces in London or beyond with the family, dogs and/or bicycle.

Richard Walthew

Richard is a GP Principal and Trainer in Kentish Town with experience of Appraisal. He is particularly interested in good communication skills in the context of patient care and supporting professionals to provide that care. He has been a ‘Conversations Inviting Change’ facilitator for the last 4 years and found inspiration from the patient and doctor narratives he has come across.

Richard draws on his 17 years experience in partnership and the complexities and challenges of personal and professional development in Practice. Richard’s other interests include walking, film and art.

Richard is one of the original directors at Calgrove Consulting and can be contacted via their website.

David Wheeler

David was aGP principal and trainer in Greenwich for 25 years . He is an experienced Programme Director for the Greenwich GP Speciality Training Programme and a seminar leader for the King's Undergraduate Medical Education in the Community (KUMEC). David has a particular interest in the role of empathy in supervision and mentoring, and uses his expertise in professional clowning to devise new teaching tools and learning events.

David is a member and past president of the West Kent Medico-Chirurgical Society. He is also a longstanding participant in Nose to Nose: an organisation that runs improvisation workshops in clowning to promote personal, emotional and relational development (and to have fun). Other recreational activities include skiing in winter and sailing in summer.